When most people speak about taking a vacation to wine country, it’s usually California’s Napa Valley that comes to mind: grapes ripening on the trellis, the transporting aromas of the barrel room — and, alas, the stratospheric cost of transcontinental flights.
Harrumph.
But I’m happy to report that a wine vacation doesn’t have to decimate your life savings. You can have an equally joyous experience, with all the bells and whistles, for one-third the price: Simply head north to Long Island’s North Fork, aka NOFO.
It’s been 40 years since the wine pioneers at the Hargrave estate, now Castello di Borghese, began producing fine wines at the east end of Long Island. Now more than 60 vineyards dot the area, many making excellent wines. Most all of the wineries are conveniently located along a scenic 30-mile stretch on two parallel routes, the North Road (NY Route 48) or the southern Main Road (NY Route 25), so it’s easy to hit seven or eight in a day as long as you follow the sip-and-spit rule: Share your sips with a friend or lover, then spit into the dump bucket, so you can tour NOFO without putting yourself or anyone else in jeopardy.
GETTING THERE
Southwest Airlines
Southwest runs daily flights from Tampa to Islip (about an hour away from Greenport and Southold, where your adventure awaits), including a nonstop or two depending on the day. I was able to snag a nonstop round-trip ticket for just $178.
WHERE TO STAY
Cliffside Resort Condominium
The Cliffside Condominiums proved an economical home base in NOFO wine country for my group of six friends. Each unit features a master bedroom with an en suite bath, a second bedroom, a queen sofa bed that sleeps two, and the second full bath to share. There’s a small kitchen, dining table and a porch or balcony overlooking Long Island sound. It’s well-appointed, if not luxurious, and extremely well-located for your wine country visit. Depending on whether you have a water view and what time of year you visit, lodging ranges from $179-$489/or roughly $30-$80 per person nightly if you sleep six. Try finding that in Napa. 61475 North Road (NY Rt. 48), Greenport, 800-269-4140, thecliffsideresort.com.
WHERE TO TASTE
I was utterly taken with the entire Lenz and Bedell portfolios, which is not surprising as these are two of the oldest and best regarded wineries on Long Island. There is much notable merlot, but what surprises me most is the quality of the cabernet franc, a grape usually relegated to minor contributions in Bordeaux blends. The old-world style NOFO versions of this grape are light and aromatic like a Burgundian pinot noir. Surprising and delicious.
The tasting rooms at the top wineries have knowledgeable, wine-loving server-pourers who are happy to indulge your inner wine geek or to take you by the hand and be your guide if you’re new to wine and the fine points of tasting.
Bedell Cellars 36225 Main Road (NY Rt. 25), Cutchogue, 631-734-7537, bedellcellars.com.
Castello di Borghese Vineyard & Winery 17150 County Rt. 48, Cutchogue, 631-734-5111, castellodiborghese.com.
Lenz Winery 38355 Main Road (NY Rt. 25), Peconic, 631-734-6010, lenzwine.com.
Macari Vineyards and Winery Macari’s Block E White is an ice wine crafted by a visiting Austrian winemaker, Helmut Gangl, who jets in, tosses the grapes in the freezer, and produces a dessert wine of note. 24385 Main Road (NY Rt. 25), Cutchogue, 631-734-7070; macariwines.com.
Paumanok Vineyards 1074 Main Road (NY Rt. 25), Aquebogue, 631-722-8800, paumanok.com.
Shinn Estate Vineyards and Farmhouse Although the wines here were a bit too light for my taste, winemaker Barbara Shinn leads a fascinating Saturday afternoon vineyard walk to explain her organic, biodynamic approach to farming, in which she plants and harvests by the lunar cycle. She lets the cover crops grow, embraces the growing cycle, and lets nature be nature. There’s also a chicly renovated century-old farmhouse with guest rooms overlooking the vineyards. 2000 Oregon Road, Mattituck, 631-804-0367, shinnestatevineyards.com.
Sparkling Pointe If you love bubbles, here’s your place. The entire array of sparkling wines produced by the traditional méthode champenoise is mouth-watering, highlighted by a prestige cuvée, aptly named Brut Seduction, that earned 90 points from Wine Spectator. Sparkling Pointe even offers a slightly sweet Cuvée Carnaval with a dazzling colorful label evoking shades of Moulin Rouge. 39750 County Road 48, Southold, 631-765-0200, sparklingpointe.com.
The Winemaker Studio This cooperative tasting room has limited hours, but they showcase boutique wines that are special projects by NOFO’s leading winemakers. We missed the opportunity to explore their wares, but a manager at one of our other stops said, “Don’t miss the special smallproduction wines called The Grapes of Roth.” 2885 Peconic Lane, Peconic, 774-641-7488, anthonynappawines.com.
North Fork Table and Inn
Zagat rates the North Fork Table as the #1 restaurant on Long Island. It’s the brainchild of two couples with serious street cred from the high-end restaurant scene in Manhattan. The tasting menu with impeccably matched wines is equal to anything in the Napa Valley, short of Thomas Keller’s landmark The French Laundry. Trust me on this one — just do it (even if you need to take out a second mortgage). 57225 Main Road, Southold, 631-765-0177, nofoti.com.
WHERE TO EAT
Blue Canoe Oyster Bar & Grill
With its water view and downtown Greenport location, Blue Canoe proves to be a perfect place for visitors intent on picking up a lobster roll. Their version swaps the traditional split-top hot dog-style bun for a lovely toasted oversize crusty roll topped with plenty of lightly dressed succulent lobster chunks, ripe tomato slices, and some shredded lettuce for added crunch. We also shared the beautiful diagonally cut tuna tataki towers with mango-miso purée. The tzatziki-sauced lamb burger is a great choice if you don’t opt for lobster. Don’t miss the caramel brookie — a chocolate chip cookie baked inside a brownie and served à la mode. It’s perfect for sharing. 104 Third St., Greenport, 631-477-6888, bluecanoeoysterbar.com.
WHERE TO PARTY
Martha Clara Vineyards
If you tire of being serious about wine and need a little party atmosphere, try Martha Clara Vineyards, the winery of the Entenmann’s baked goods empire, where every ounce of corporate marketing and merchandising expertise is on view. Security guards check purses at the door, lest you sneak in any outside food. Once inside, they’ve figured out many options to part you from your money. There’s a large, well-stocked gift shop filled with every imaginable kind of wine tchotchke — my favorite being a black-topped, clear plastic travel mug that appears to have swallowed a stemmed wine glass.
The tasting bar has wines “on tap” ready to fill clear glass bottles. High above it all is a private second-floor tasting room with glass walls overlooking the masses below. The adjacent dining room is abuzz with crowded tables, huge TV screens, a table of handmade cupcakes and cookies, and a counter with made-to-order paninis and wraps. The clientele ranges from families to seniors, all jam-packed to hear the live oldies music from a decent local band that clearly lived through the era when the music was new. Just before the set begins, the gray-locked drummer calls out for “Kuh-AWE-fee” in a unique, thick accent that reminds you, screw California wine country, this is Long DAMN Island! Martha Clara is like a sports bar, except with wine instead of beer. The presence of several black-jacketed security guards indicates that the crowd is not always genteel, or as the magnet at the cash register proclaims: “Wine — what classy people drink to get trashed.” 6025 Sound Ave., Riverhead, 631-298-0075, marthaclaravineyards.com.
WHERE TO GET MARRIED
Raphael Vineyards and Winery
For my money, the NOFO place to get married is Raphael. This Italianate villa has a red tile roof, cypress trees like Tuscany, and a large Italian flag proudly waving in the breeze. The interior has tall beamed ceilings, beautiful chandeliers, and an open stairway to a second-story landing overlooking the tasting room, which transforms into a dance floor. There’s also a private room for a seated dinner and a subterranean barrel room for fun pictures with the bride and groom. In good weather, they set up pews and chairs adjacent to the vineyards and the bride makes a dramatic entrance from the second floor down a white stairway. It’s simply enchanting. The other great benefit is that Raphael’s in-house catering is both beautiful and mouth-watering. A few standouts are risotto with truffle oil croquettes, lamb lollipops with pomegranate curry, and an absolutely spectacular raw bar with both oysters and clams on the half shell plus huge succulent jumbo shrimp and more stunning split lobster tails than you could count. The array is simply amazing. 39390 1074 Main Road (NY Rt. 25), Peconic, 631-765-1100; raphaelwine.com.
WHERE TO SHOP
Vines & Branches and Cavaniola’s Gourmet
Talk about one-stop shopping. These two foodie havens share the same charming old house in the heart of Greenport. On one side, shiny stainless steel vessels filled with flavored olive oils and vinegars run the gamut of taste combos and will make your head spin. The other side is a branch of the noted Sag Harbor cheese shop. Ask for self-proclaimed cheese nerd Jessica, who will guide you through a tasting of perfectly ripe cheeses from around the globe that will bring you to your knees. Not to be missed. 477 Main St., Greenport. V&B: 631-477-6800, vinesandbranches.net; Cavaniola’s: 631-477-6561, cavaniola.com/northfork.
AND WHEN YOU'RE FINISHED SHOPPING …
Coronet Luncheonette
Greenport is overflowing with charm, including the Coronet (2 Front St., Greenport, 631-477-9834), an old-fashioned luncheonette with a soda fountain that hand makes delicious traditional milk shakes, with or without malt. But if the small-town feel and the surrounding rural landscape sets off tinges of anxiety, there’s a Saks in the Hamptons — just a hop, skip and a jump to the south shore. Even Napa can’t claim that.
This article appears in Jul 11-17, 2013.